Knitting machine having laterally deflectable needles



July 18, 1967 J, EARTH 3,331,218

KNITTING MACHINE HAVING LATERALLY DEFLECTABLE NEEDLES Filed July 10, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J JOHANNES BARTH July 18, 1967 J. EARTH 3,331,218

KNITTING MACHINE HAVING LATERALLY DEFLECTABLE NEEDLES Filed July 10, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHANNES BARTH h F 9 INVENTOR July 18, 1967 J, EARTH I 3,331,218

KNITTING MACHINE HAVING LATERALLY DEFLECTABLE NEEDLES Filed July 10, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. H

FIG. 12

INVENTOR JOHANNES BARTH United States Patent Ofltice Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,623 4 Claims. (CI. 66-35) The present invention relates to knitting machines, particularly of the circular type, for producing so-called Petinet or semi-Petinet patterns. According to the invention, knitting needles with laterally deflectable shanks are provided.

It has been proposed for producing said Petinet patterns to equip a circular knitting machine, having multi-notch sinkers, with radially reciprocable pushers by the aid of which pairs of pattern forming needles are laterally made to abut.

The present invention has as its main object to present an improvement over these known arrangements and to provide a circular knitting machine which is reliable in operation yet economic in manufacture and maintenance.

It is another object of the invention to provide elastic (preferably steel) knitting needles having shank por tions which maybe deflected sideways when the needles are brought into their raised positions, so as to lie against, or enter corresponding grooves, of the adjacent needles.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a circular knitting machine wherein at least a portion of the needles is adapted to be deflected so as to enter into, engage and take over thread stitches of the adjoining, non-deflected needles which are in their phase of downward travel.

It is yet another object of the invention to dispense with push rods and like machine elements hitherto used on similar machines for the production of so-called Petinet patterns. Owing to this expedient, the knitting needles are less liable to be damaged during operation of the machine.

According to one of the major features of the invention, the knitting needles forming part of the circular knitting machine are made from elastic material, e.g. steel, and their shanks are laterally bent so that upon being raised the portion of each needle outside the guide provided by the needle bed or bank is laterally deflected.

According to another feature, the novel knitting needles have lateral grooves or channels for receiving terminal portions of the adjoining, laterally deflected needles. With a view to allowing various patterns to be made on the machine, preferably all needles should be of the novel bent, laterally deflectable, grooved type. However, it is entirely within the scope of the invention to provide only some of the needles according to the new structure, while others may be regular latch needles.

- The needle shanks may be bent in an arcuate fashion or at an obtuse angle. According to a preferred embodiment, the needles having grooved shanks are bent toward the grooved side, from where the adjoining needle is capable of picking up the stitch formed by the bent and deflected needle. Alternatively, it is entirely possible to bend the second-mentioned needle toward the grooved side of the first-named non-deflected needle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated and more fully understood with reference to the following detailed description, when considered with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic and partly sectional side view of a knitting machine portion embodying the inventive laterally deflectable needles, in a first operational phase;

3,331,218 Patented July 18, 1967 FIG. 2 is a top view thereof, taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the relative positions of the co-pending machine elements in a second operational phase;

FIG. 4 is a top view thereof, taken along line VIVI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front View of two adjoining needles according to the invention, taken along line V-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view across two needles, on an enlarged scale, taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is another view similar to that of FIG. 1, but of a third operational phase;

FIG. 8 is a top view thereof, taken along line VIII- VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view across two needles, on an enlarged scale, taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is yet another view similar to that of FIG. 1, but of a fourth operational phase;

FIG. 11 is a top view thereof, taken along line XIXI of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view across one needle portion, on an enlarged scale, taken along line XIIXII of FIG. 10.

Before going into details of the consecutive operational stages of a circular knitting machine, as performed with the inventive arrangement, a description of the structural features will first be given. It should be noted that conventional elements of circular knitting machines have not been shown in detail and only those parts appear in the various views which are deemed to be necessary for the understanding of the present invention.

A needle bed or cylinder is shown at 2 which has a plurality of longitudinal recesses 4, one for each of the knitting needles. Although the top views 11, IV, VIII and XI illustrate several laterally aligned needles, only one pair of needles will be referred to in the following, comprising adjoining needles 6a and 6b (see, for example, the side views of FIGS. 1 and 3). Above needle bed 2 there is a guide ring 8 for a plurality of multi-catch sinkers 10 located intermediate the knitting needles (see, for example, FIGS. 2 and 4). The sinkers are radially movable, toward and away from the vertically reciprocable needles. The conventional means used for performing these movements, and for correlating them with each other, on the one hand, and with the other parts of the machine (e.g., a suitable patterning mechanism for producing so-called Petinet, semi-Petinet or other patterns), have not been shown in the drawings.

As will best be seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, representing respective side, front and sectional views, needles 6a, 6b have on one side of their shanks longitudinal grooves or channels 12. Needles 6a, 6b are made from a resilient material and are laterally bent toward the side having the grooves 12 thereat. The bend may be at an obtuse angle, as illustrated in FIG. 5 at 14 for needle 6a, or in an arcuate manner (not shown). The latter alternative produces substantially the same relative position for the needle ends as shown in FIG. 5.

Needles 6a, 6b are preferably made of resilient steel but, it will be understood, could also consist of any suitable, sufiiciently rigid material that provides spring action for assuming a deflected position, as shown in FIG. 5.

While the knitting needles are lowered deep enough to have their bends (e.g., 14) within the recess 4 of the needle bank 2, they are substantially vertically aligned and not deflected. However, the needle will by itself deflect toward the grooved side as soon as the arcuate or angular bend protrudes beyond the upper edge of bed 2, or of a peripheral, preferably annular member 22 of the circular knitting machine, having substantially the same upper level as guide ring 8.

It is important that the deflected needles project laterally above the vertical reciprocatory path of the adjoining needle so that the latter can enter with its hooked tip into groove 12, as shown in FIG. 5. The width of the grooves is adapted to accommodate said hooked needle tip, as shown in FIG. 6, while the length is predetermined so as to allow the adjoining needle to move along the deflected needle during a substantial portion of the relative needle positions, as illustrated (see FIGS. 3 and 7). Owing to the slightly rounded edges at the hooked needle tip and at the upper end of the groove, a smooth transition is possible even at high relative speeds of adjoining needle pairs.

In the various views, a knitted material is schematically shown at 16. The needles may be provided with latches as shown at 18. As a matter of example, a stitch formed by needle 6a is shown at 16a, while needle 6]) is shown to form a stitch 16b. For the sake of clarity, only one pair of such stitches is identified in FIGS. 2, 4, and 11.

The operation of the above-described machine arrangement is the following: before the pattern selection for a particular course, all the knitting needles 6a, 6b are in a basic position. According to FIG. 1, all needles 6a which are to release their stitches are raised and simultaneously all needles 6b supposed to take over stitches are lowered until they reach the casting-oft position illustrated in FIG. 3.

During the aforementioned, oppositely directed movement of the needles 6a, 61) certain sinkers 10 set in for withdrawal which is shown to be completed in FIG. 3. FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as 3-6, may be termed to illustrate respective first and second phases of the knittingmachine operation. In the respective pairs of FIGS. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, as well as 7 and 8, the withdrawn sinkers are identified by numeral 10'. In FIGS. 10 and 11, all sinkers 10 are aligned, and only needle 6b is visible in the side view of FIG. 10.

The bent portions of needles 6a are thus released, above the needle bed 2, so that they deflect laterally and extend into the path of the respective adjoining needles 6b. Hereupon, the latter are raised so that they enter the stitches 16a formed by the aforementioned deflected needles 6a. Preferably, the latter also move slightly upward, in parallel with needles 6b, with a view to avoiding or minimizing relative motion therebetween while the respective stitches are being taken over (see the third operational phase illustrated in FIGS. 79.).

When the receiving needles 6b are raised far enough to have the received stitches 16a lie below the latches 18, and at the same time the discharging needles 6a are at the same height as the respective receiving needles 6b (FIG. 10, fourth operational phase), the previously retracted sinkers 10 are moved back again, that is, to the left-hand side, as viewed in the drawings. This is the basic position for the knitting needles, in which an appropriate pattern selection is made for the next course of stitches. The procedure now repeats itself, as described.

FIGS. 6 and 9 best illustrate the manner in which a receiving or pick-up needle 6b is in closely adjacent relationship within the groove 12 of a needle 6a, stitch 16b being somewhat below stitch 16a in the former case than in the latter (see also FIGS. 3 and 7). In FIG. 12, both stitches 16a, 1611 are already on the same needle 6!).

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that for producing the knitting patterns as referred to above, it would be sufficient to provide alternate needles, or only one needle in each involved needle pair, in the form of bent, grooved needles, as shown in FIG. at 6a. How- 4 ever, a wider variety of patterns can be made, and any optional changes can readily be performed, if all the needles 6a, 6b are of the novel type, substantially as illustrated.

It is also possible to provide grooves on one set of needles which are not deflected, and make the adjoining take-up needles deflectable toward the former-named grooved needles.

The above description considers only an exemplary cast pattern wherein alternate needles act in a discharging and receiving manner, termed a so-called semi-Petinet pattern. It the incomplete stitches 16a of needles 6a, are cast off, without transfer to needles 6b, a Petinet pattern may be made. Many variants are feasible within the scope of the invention without changes in the novel and inventive structure, by merely providing another controlling or patterning set-up.

The foregoing disclosure relates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is intended to include all changes and modifications of the example described within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine, comprising a needle bed having an outer portion with longitudinal recesses therein defined by outer wall portions and intermediary wall portions whose outermost portions are flush with said outer portions of said bed; a plurality of cast-off needles and receiving needles disposed in pairs and reciprocable in said longitudinal recesses, said cast-off needles having a prebent portion extending a major portion of the length thereof and being deflected toward and into the reciprocatory path of said receiving needles at a predetermined angle when in a raised position in which said pre-bent portion and an un-bent portion of said cast-off needles clears the bed, said cast-01f needles being made of a resilient material permitting said cast-off needles to assume a normal position with respect to said bed while within said recesses, a shank portion of each of said cast-off needles has formed a longitudinal groove therein for receiving terminal portions of said receiving needles; and a plurality of sinkers each reciprocably disposed between each of said pairs and having a shoulder portion and a bottom leg portion, said leg portion disposed between each of said pairs when in a receiving position, said shoulder portion adapted to bias a knitting loop against said shank portion upon movement of the respective sinker toward the associated pair of needles.

2. A knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said longitudinal groove is provided on a side of each of said cast-off needles facing each of said receiving needles.

3. A knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said receiving needle is adapted to receive a formed stitch from said cast-off needle when in said raised position.

4. A knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said angle is obtuse.

References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 573,423 3/1397 Sturgess 66-123 2,030,261 2/1936 Lombardi 66 121 3,034,523 4/1963 Philip 6624 3,132,471 5/1965 Fried 66-135 FOREIGN PATENTS 352,543 7/1931 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A KNITTING MACHINE, COMPRISING A NEEDLE BED HAVING AN OUTER PORTION WITH LONGITUDINAL RECESSES THEREIN DEFINED BY OUTER WALL PORTIONS AND INTERMEDIARY WALL PORTIONS WHOSE OUTERMOST PORTIONS ARE FLUSH WITH SAID OUTER PORTIONS OF SAID BED; A PLURALITY OF CAST-OFF NEEDLES AND RECEIVING NEEDLES DISPOSED IN PAIRS AND RECIPROCABLE IN SAID LONGITUDINAL RECESSES, SAID CAST-OFF NEEDLES HAVING A PREBENT PORTION EXTENDING A MAJOR PORTION OF THE LENGTH THEREOF AND BEING DEFLECTED TOWARD AND INTO THE RECIPROCATORY PATH OF SAID RECEIVING NEEDLES AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE WHEN IN A RAISED POSITION IN WHICH SAID PER-BENT PORTION AND AN UN-BENT PORTION OF SAID CAST-OFF NEEDLES CLEARS THE BED, SAID CAST-OFF NEEDLES BEING MADE OF A RESILIENT MATERIAL PERMITTING SAID CAST-OFF NEEDLES TO ASSUME A NORMAL POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED WHILE WITHIN SAID RECESSES, A SHANK PORTION OF EACH OF SAID CAST-OFF NEEDLES HAS FORMED A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE THEREIN FOR RECEIVING TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID RECEIVING NEEDLES; AND A PLURALITY OF SINKERS EACH RECIPROCABLY DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PAIRS AND HAVING A SHOULDER PORTION AND A BOTTOM LEG PORTION, SAID LEG PORTION DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PAIRS WHEN IN A RECEIVING POSITION, SAID SHOULDER PORTION ADAPTED TO BIAS A KNITTING LOOP AGAINST SAID SHANK PORTION UPON MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE SINKER TOWARD THE ASSOCIATED PAIR OF NEEDLES. 